Top 5 Nursing News Stories You Missed This Week

What does it take to land your dream nursing job? What skills should you hone as a nurse to be a standout? Find out in the top nursing news from the week:

Wanted: Informatics Nurse Specialists!

Informatics nurse specialists (INS) can play an important role in filling the need for healthcare information technology professionals, says Toni Hebda, PhD, RN, MSIS, a graduate professor at Chamberlain College of Nursing. “As a nurse, the INS is already familiar with healthcare, the culture of healthcare and nursing, the information needed to deliver care and workflow issues, making the INS ideally suited to design and support clinical applications, ” she writes. More on the need at NEWS-Line.

The 7 Skills of an Extraordinary Nurse

With constant technological advances and an ever-changing environment, how can nurses continue to focus on improving quality care? Judy Blair, senior vice president of clinical services and chief nursing officer at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, sees a few skills the best nurses at her hospital have in common. “It takes daily focus to be a great nurse and much practice to put all the needed skills into place,” she said. Read about the 7 skills at Scrubs Magazine.

Diversity Will Play Important Role in Nursing’s Future

As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, demographics of the nursing workforce should follow suit, says Deidre Walton, RN/PHN, MSN, JD, president and CEO of the National Black Nurses Association. “Diversity will improve patient-nurse communication, collaboration and clinical practice for patients of all backgrounds,” she said. “When you have a diverse workforce, you have people with knowledge and skills to meet the diverse needs of patients. The patient’s cultural identification, spiritual affiliation, language and gender can all affect the care they need, and it is very important that the nurse understands that.” Read more at Nurse.com.

Want a Nursing Job? Tailor Your Professional Presence

Employment of RNs is expected to grow 26% between 2010 and 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As you head out into the job market, tailoring your professional presence, both online and on paper, is essential for nurses. And sometimes, it’s the little things: "There are way too many candidates using cute email addresses,” said Judy Shorr, RN, MS, CHCR, nurse recruiter for Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Also, make sure your voice mail message doesn’t have loud, blaring music or a particular message that wouldn’t enhance your candidacy.” Read more from Nurse.com.

Spotlight on Jacksonville Instructor Sonia Balevre

For some, finding your passion to become a nurse is sparked by an encounter with someone in the profession. Sonia Maria Balevre, RN, BSN, MSN, ASc., an instructor at Chamberlain’s Jacksonville campus, describes her defining moment: “Thirty years ago, a nurse saved my life by saying ‘no.’ She would not release me for surgery until all tests were in. When the blood work came back, my potassium was extremely low. If I had been given anesthesia, I would have risked a very severe cardiac problem.” More about Sonia Balevre at HealthSourceMag.

What are your thoughts on these stories? Tell us in the comments below!

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